AFC South - 2_Houston Texans1

Denver Broncos Gameday HQ

AFC SOUTH
HOUSTON
2014 STRENGTHS:
• Strong defensive front seven
Texans Offense
PETER G. AIKEN/GETTY IMAGES SPORT
After advancing to the playoffs the previous two years on
the strength of their offense, the team faltered when the offense
wavered. Gone now is much-maligned quarterback Matt Schaub
to the Oakland Raiders, as he is now replaced by former Tennessee
Titan Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick will get the first crack at
the top-spot on the depth chart, but Case Keenum is waiting
in the wings for his turn in the spotlight after a season where
he found some success as a starter. In eight games, the former
University of Houston standout finished with 1,760 yards in the
air, 9 touchdowns and only 6 interceptions. But the measure of a
quarterback is in his win-loss record and his team didn’t win any of
the games he started behind center.
No matter who starts at quarterback, the offense will most
certainly receive a boost with the return of running back Arian
Foster to the lineup after having to miss half of the 2013 season due
to a season-ending back injury. In half a season, Foster ran for 542
yards, but only one touchdown while racking up 183 yards through
the air on 22 receptions, but again, only one touchdown. As long as
Foster can prove that he is still the player he was before his injury,
2014 WEAKNESSES:
• Uncertainty at the quarterback position,
questionable defensive backfield
TEXANS
the Texans’ offense should be considerably better in
2014. To help Foster carry the load, the Texans brought in
another former Giant, Andre Brown, after the team lost
Ben Tate to the Browns in free-agency.
Not only should a healthy Foster help the starting
quarterback, but he will also ease the burden placed
on franchise wide receiver Andre Johnson. Despite
asking to be traded, he remains the offense’s most
dynamic player. With all the turmoil that the offense
went through last season, Johnson put up the kind of
numbers Texans’ fans have come accustomed to seeing
over the last 11 years. The future Hall of Famer caught
109 balls for a total of 1,407 yards while taking five
into the end zone.
Offensive Player to Watch
There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Foster as
he comes back from a back injury that sidelined him for
half of the 2013 season. He eventually needed to go for
surgery, which raises a huge question mark as to whether Foster
can return to the player that scored 17 touchdowns for the Texans’
offense in 2012. Not only will he be coming back from injury, but
the team did not retain running mate Ben Tate, so the onus will
be entirely on Foster to revert to the form that made him such a
dynamic player for this offense. If he doesn’t, the Texans could look
eerily similar to the 2013 version.
Texans Defense
Already blessed with one of the best defensive lineman and
pass-rushers in the entire league in J.J. Watt, the Texans added to
their strength with the addition of Jadeveon Clowney when they
made the former South Carolina Gamecock the first pick in the 2014
NFL Draft. Watt, who has made 31 sacks over the last two seasons,
should only get better with this addition as it should somewhat
free him from the double-team and allow him to make more plays
on the quarterback and in the running game. As long as Clowney
shows the freak-like ability that he had in college, the defensive
front should be one of the more dominating units throughout the
NFL. At 6-6 and 260 pounds, Clowney will be someone opposing
Andre Johnson